


must love dogs

by sierraadeux



Category: Phandom/The Fantastic Foursome (YouTube RPF)
Genre: Dogs, M/M, Meet-Cute, They're both dog dads, Valentine's Day
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-11
Updated: 2020-02-11
Packaged: 2021-02-28 06:55:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,383
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22659694
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sierraadeux/pseuds/sierraadeux
Summary: So, Phil is almost pressed chest to chest with a hot stranger, in the middle of the street, because their dogs got so excited to play that they tangled them up together. Just a normal Friday night.
Relationships: Dan Howell/Phil Lester
Comments: 38
Kudos: 184





	must love dogs

Of course Phil is spending Valentine’s Day with his favorite girl. He tries not to think about how sad it is that this is the second year in a row he’s spending it with her, and her alone. It’s just a commercial holiday, it’s okay that he doesn’t have a boyfriend - _still_. He has Willow and she’s the only companion he needs on this fourteenth of February. 

She tugs at her leash, no doubt smelling all of the food being cooked for lovers at all of the restaurants down the busy London street. 

They, of course, do not have reservations. But Phil did place a take-away order at his favorite spot on Willow’s walk route - his plans for the night including gorging on food in his pajamas, some sappy rom coms, and maybe a little self love thrown in later. 

Valentine’s Day. Phil’s life isn’t sad, just a bit lonely - the type of loneliness that still tugs at Phil’s heart every now and then, even though he’s never really alone with his best furry friend. 

Willow tugs again, more excitedly. 

“Okay, calm down, we’re almost there!” Phil laughs, looking down at the corgi. She doesn’t understand english, and he knows their almost being there is probably the reason _why_ she’s so excited and pulling, but it’s the thought that counts. 

*

It happens in what feels like all of three seconds to Phil. He turns the corner and Willow pulls harder. There’s no explanation to how the small corgi with her little stubby legs is able to overpower Phil, but she does. In a mix of Phil’s long, clumsy legs and not wanting to lose his grip on her leash, Phil is tugged forward until he’s slamming into someone’s chest. 

There’s an “ _oof” -_ Phil doesn’t know if it’s from himself or the stranger he’s just bumped into - and barking as Phil tries to pull away. _Tries_ , being the word here, as he steps back from the stranger but can’t move. 

“Sorry, so sorry!” He’s apologizing profusely, gripping the end of Willow’s leash for dear life, as he looks down at their feet. Phil’s legs and feet are completely tangled in Willow’s leash, but it’s not just her rainbow striped leash, a sleek black one is entwined with it as well. Phil’s eyes move from his feet, across to black trainers, and up. The long legs, clad in scandalously ripped skinny jeans that are also wrapped in black and rainbow, are connected to a… hot guy? 

Hot guy laughs, Phil fixates on the dimple that caves into his cheek. There have been a lot of moments in Phil’s life in which he’s felt _very gay_ , but it’s like he’s ascended to a new level of heart swooping as he looks into warm brown eyes, and up at wild curly hair of the same shade. 

“S’alright,” the man’s still chuckling as he speaks. It brings Phil back down to earth - if only slightly. “They’re having the time of their lives, we can’t be mad.” 

They both look down by their feet to Willow and a much larger golden retriever rolling around together on the pavement. It’s then that Phil actually registers that the hot guy is also holding a leash attached to a dog - the black leash, that’s currently tangled with Phil’s colorful one. 

So, Phil is almost pressed chest to chest with a hot stranger, in the middle of the street, because their dogs got so excited to play that they tangled them up together. Just a normal Friday night. 

“Sorry,” Phil says again, trying to step out of the tangled mess.

“Here.” There’s a large hand on Phil’s shoulder. Phil feels his face turn red with how his heart speeds up at the contact. Hot guy is stepping out of the tangled leashes, then the hand is off Phil’s shoulder, kneeling down to untangle Phil’s legs. 

If Phil is holding his breath and thinking of his grandparents, side boob, and every other unsexy thing he can think of while the other man is kneeling in front of him, large hands on his calves as he helps Phil step out of the tangled leashes, that’s Phil’s business and Phil’s business alone. 

“There you go,” hot guy’s voice is soft and reassuring as Phil is finally able to step away. Hot guy doesn’t stand back up though, instead falling back on his bum to untangle the two dogs from each other. 

As Phil still has Willow’s leash in his right hand, he squats down on the pavement as well, handing the stranger the leash as he tugs on it to undo a knot. 

“How did they even manage to do this?” Phil finally finds words that aren’t just sorry. Hot guy chuckles, one dimple becomes two. 

“Biscuit’s a nightmare on leash, she’s always tangling it. We’re working on it,” hot guy rolls his eyes as he gets the final knot out of the leashes and hands the rainbow one back to Phil. “And who is this?” his tone of voice completely changes as he coos at a now wiggling Willow. She steps around the other dog and wiggles onto his lap, putting her stumpy legs on his belly so she can lick at his face. 

Phil’s about to stop her, remind her of her manners, but the hoy guy is smiling so widely, his laughter booming down the London streets as she licks all over his face. 

“Willow, stop licking the nice man’s face,” Phil tries to be authoritative. Willow, of course, does not listen.

“Oh Willow, we’ve only just met,” hot guy giggles as she manages to lick right into his mouth.

“I’m _so_ sorry.” Phil can’t help but giggle too, the man’s laugh is absolutely infectious. He leans forward and gets his arms around his corgi, pulling her off of the man - the man, who _actually pouts_ at Phil as he pulls his dog away. 

Phil’s feeble gay heart simply cannot take it. 

Their legs and their dogs now untangled, Phil gets up from where they’re sat on the pavement and holds out a hand to help the stranger. He’s being helpful, a good Samaritan, it’s not just because he kind of wants to hold the man’s hand. Hot guy takes it, and Phil helps him up, his golden retriever also getting up on her feet from where she was rolled over exposing her belly for passersby to pat. She gives Phil a look that almost seems like she knows exactly what he’s thinking, but she’s a dog, of course she doesn’t. 

“Sorry about that,” Phil says as he drops the hot guy’s hand, “... again.” They both laugh. 

“It’s quite alright.” 

Phil _really_ doesn’t want to walk away, but they’re both just standing there, awkwardly with their dogs on the pavement, so there isn’t much else he can do. If only he had the confidence… 

When he looks away from the hot guy in front of him, he notices that they’re right in front of his intended destination. What a coincidence. 

He gives the hot stranger a small smile and an awkward wave as he steps away, towards the establishment, as much as it pains him to do so. Willow trots alongside him, happy as can be. 

“You know, they’re not gonna let you in. I tried.” The man’s voice is calling after him. Phil looks back at the tall brown haired man - another glance at the rip in his jeans that’s high on his thigh, his fuzzy black jumper that looks _so soft_ , the smiley golden retriever panting by his side. And then he looks back at the restaurant door again. A large circle with a dog inside of it is printed next to their hours, a red slash going through it. Phil sighs. Why didn’t he think about this? He's already ordered his take-away. 

He turns back around and the hot guy gestures for him to come back over. So he does. 

“I guess we’re in this together now.” Phil stands beside him, crossing his arms. They both look at the restaurant. Their dogs mingle between them. 

“I’ll cut you a deal, dear stranger with a cute corgi-” 

“Phil.” Phil cuts him off, somehow desperate to make a connection. 

“Dan,” hot guy- _Dan_ supplies easily. “I’ll watch the dogs out here, you go in. Then you watch the dogs and I’ll go in.” They both turn their heads to look at each other at the same time. Phil kind of wishes they were tangled close together in their dogs’ leashes again. 

Phil hums, he plays with Willow’s leash in his hand as he thinks. 

"Have you already placed an order?" 

Dan nods. "Yeah, take-away. Thought I was being smart with the dog, guess not," he adds with a shrug.

“Is your order under Dan?”

“Yeah,” Dan hums, then his eyebrows scrunch together. “Wait, why?” 

Phil’s already handing Willow’s leash off to Dan, stepping backwards towards the restaurant. “I got it!” This could be a very stupid decision, when has Phil ever had a positive interaction with a stranger? The man could take off with Willow for all he knows. But something tells Phil he won’t, because he’s not a stranger - he’s Dan. 

“Wait! Take this!” Dan is struggling to reach into his pocket for his wallet while holding the two leashes. 

“No, I’ll get it. A gift for the holiday!” Phil calls behind his shoulder as he pushes open the door. Before it closes behind him, he thinks he hears _“What holiday?”_ called back at him. 

*

Phil nudges the door back open with his foot, two large paper bags cradled in each arm like they’re small babies instead of food. He catches the door with a bump of his hip, and over the bustling sounds of London he somehow hears the snort that is definitely directed at him. 

“I’d say she missed you, but that would be a lie.” 

Phil smiles at Dan as he sidesteps a few people walking along the pavement in front of him. Dan hasn’t moved an inch. Biscuit is laying between Dan’s legs, Willow’s laying out over his left foot - in what Phil refers to as her “sploot” - with her little paws resting over Biscuit’s snout. Phil coos at the sight. He spends so much time with his dog he’s never even thought that she might like her own doggy friends. 

The adorable moment is over the second both dogs get a whiff of what Phil’s carrying as he steps up to them. Willow’s up and tapping her feet at Phil, giving him begging eyes - maybe he spoils her, maybe she gets everything she wants. Biscuit simply sits up, cocking her head to the side at Phil in a more quiet, collected pleading. 

“Not for you, _or_ you,” Phil laughs, looking between the two dogs. He looks back up to Dan. “For you.” He passes off the bag under his left arm. Phil almost drops the other in the trade off, paper bag for rainbow leash, but Dan is quick to steady it, chuckling at Phil’s inability to not be clumsy. 

“Thank you.” Dan makes a point of looking Phil right in the eye. Phil doesn’t know how someone’s eyes can feel warm, but Dan’s do. They make Phil feel warm. 

They’re just two strangers, each with a dog leash in one hand, a take-out bag in the other, standing in the middle of the pavement staring at each other. That’s normal, right? 

Dan’s brows scrunch together, the slightest amount, as he cocks his head like his dog. Phil holds back a giggle as the thought passes through his head - Dan kind of looks like his dog. 

“Hey uh, what did you mean by _the holiday_?”

Phil can’t help how his bottom lip pushes out - Dan’s question is genuine, and that confuses him. How could anyone not know it’s Valentine’s Day? 

“It’s Valentine’s Day…” Phil gestures at the pink jumper he’s wearing as confusion washes over Dan’s face. He watches as it clicks, Dan’s face suddenly going completely neutral. Maybe there’s a hint of a frown, Phil doesn’t want to see this beautiful man frown. 

“Oh, I didn’t know.” 

Dan’s got his lip trapped between his teeth and Phil mimics his expression - it’s not a conscious decision, he doesn’t even realize he’s doing it. The gears start to turn in his head. If there’s one thing Phil Lester should never do, it’s egg on any of his odd encounters with strangers. He knows that, he really does. But he thinks this odd encounter is different. 

“So I’m assuming there’s no partner waiting up for you…” Phil winces as he hears his own, less than confident voice. It sounded better in his head. 

_Smooth, Phil, very smooth._

“Nope. Just me and Biscuit.” Biscuit lets out a little whine at the mention of her name. Dan’s brows tug together again, trying to work out what Phil is getting at. Something flashes across his eyes though, and Phil notices the corner of his mouth twitching into a smirk. It gives Phil the confidence he needs. 

“I’m right up the road if you and Biscuit would like to join us for dinner in front of the telly.” 

Dan’s mouth pulls up a bit more. “I should say no…” 

Phil bites his lip, looking down at their feet. Willow is sat by his side, looking up at Dan with her big puppy dog eyes. Phil feels kin to his dog. 

“Yeah probably.” Phil looks back to find a wide grin on Dan’s face, his dimple returned. 

“You could be a murderer,” Dan says with a raised eyebrow. 

“Fair. But you could have stolen my dog.” 

Dan purses his lips for a moment, his feigned look of contemplation is given away by the way the corners of his eyes are crinkling - revealing his internal smile. “Fair.” He looks down at Biscuit, who’s still patiently sitting between his legs. “What do you say girl, do you want to hang out with your new friend?” 

Biscuit’s butt starts to wiggle and Dan looks up at Phil. They’ve got the same smirk on their faces. 

*

“So willow, like the tree? That’s cute,” Dan hums. They’re walking side by side towards Phil’s apartment at a leisurely pace. Phil dares to say they’re enjoying the walk, and each other’s company. Willow’s tugging ahead, followed by Biscuit - it’s like she’s showing the other dog the way back home. 

“No, like from Buffy the Vampire Slayer.” Phil chuckles, blushing a bit. 

“I should’ve recognized that,” Dan huffs. Phil feels their shoulders brush as he avoids bumping into a passerby. “That’s really cute.” 

Phil grins. It is cute. It’s nerdy and cute and Dan seems to get the reference to Phil’s favorite show. And most importantly, he isn’t rolling his eyes at it like most do. Phil thinks he likes Dan. A lot. 

“What about Biscuit, huh?” The retriever turns her head to the side as she trots behind Willow, she definitely knows her name. Phil wouldn’t say Willow doesn’t, she just… isn’t as attentive most of the time. Maybe she’s a bit lazy and in her own mind like her dad. “That sounds like a name with a story.” 

Dan laughs. “She’s a rescue and came with the name. I like it, it suits her,” he says proudly. Phil notes the way Dan’s shoulders pull up a bit higher as he talks about her. “Doesn’t it? ‘Cause she’s just a little biscuit, isn’t she? Yes she is,” Dan coos at his dog with that baby voice of his. Her tail wags at maximum speed, like she’s one gear away from taking flight like a helicopter. Phil giggles at the visual. 

When they’re stepping up to Phil’s building, he hands Willow’s leash off to Dan so he can pull his keys out and unlock the door. 

“Are you gay or is your dog gay?” Dan asks from behind him. Phil barely gets the key in the lock before Dan’s speaking up again. “Sorry. Don’t answer that actually, my brain isn’t connected to my mouth sometimes.” 

Phil turns the key, but he turns around to face Dan before opening the door. Dan looks sincerely apologetic - though Phil doesn’t really think he needs to be - as he looks at the black and rainbow leashes he’s holding together in one hand. 

“I’m the gay one,” Phil answers casually. Dan’s head snaps up. “But I’d like to think Willow is a lesbian,” he adds with a wink. Which for Phil Lester, is really just a deliberate blink of both his eyes, scrunching tight together before he turns back around. Dan barks out a laugh from behind him as Phil pushes open the door. 

*

When they get up to Phil’s flat, they kick off their shoes and unclip their dogs. Dan’s a bit hesitant at first, fretting over his golden’s hair getting all over Phil’s apartment and the fact that Dan lets her jump up on furniture in his own home, so she won’t know any better here. Phil only huffs, pointing at the layer of tan corgi hair on his own jeans, assuring Dan his home is even more covered, and rolling his eyes at the very notion of someone _not_ letting their dog up on the sofa or in their bed. 

“It should be illegal,” Phil says with wide eyes. 

“Dog parent blasphemy,” Dan agrees with a smile. 

Willow does figure eights around Phil, and Dan’s, legs as she knows it’s dinnertime. Phil shows Dan to the lounge, an abridged tour of pointing down the hallway to his room and the bathroom along the way, and they set their bags down on the coffee table. 

Dan follows Phil to his kitchen - well, technically Phil is following Biscuit, and Biscuit is following Willow. The dogs bark and whine - well, mostly it’s Willow - as Phil opens his glass cabinet and tells Dan to pour whatever drink he pleases. Dan pours two glasses of Ribena and Phil digs around in another cabinet for Willow’s old set of bowls. Phil does his usual clumsy dance around Willow as he fills an extra water bowl and sets it down next to hers, and then he does the extreme version of his clumsy dance around Willow as he pours kibble into her bowl and tries to set it down. 

Dan chuckles behind him. 

“What?” Phil turns his head to see Dan leaning against the counter with Biscuit by his side, both looking humorously judgmental. 

“Nothing,” a dimple pokes into each of Dan’s cheeks. 

Dan spends a good five minutes squinting at the ingredients on the back of Phil’s bag of dog food before he deems it acceptable to feed to Biscuit. Phil watches as Dan takes Willow’s spare bowl full of kibble and places it down on the floor gently. There’s no barking or weaving, the golden retriever sitting at the other end of the kitchen patiently. She only trots over to eat when Dan says “ _Okay!”_

“How do you do that?” Phil asks in awe as they walk out of the kitchen, just themselves and their drinks, back to the lounge. 

“What? Train my dog?” Dan laughs. His voice isn’t with the judgement of most though, it’s more teasing, dare Phil say he sounds fond. 

Phil sighs as he plops down in front of the coffee table, leaning back against the sofa. “This is Willow’s world and I’m simply allowed to exist in it.” 

Dan snorts as he folds his legs beside him. Their knees knock together and neither of them pull away. Phil leans into it a bit as he opens his take-away bag, testing his luck. The smile that stretches across his face almost hurts as Dan leans back. 

“Oh! What’s this?” Dan pulls the plastic container out of the top of the bag. Phil blushes a similar shade to the red velvet cupcake inside.

“They had a special for Valentine’s Day, I thought you’d like something sweet,” Phil says into his take-away bag. He keeps his eyes to the inside of the bag and his food he’s pulling out as the room stays silent. Dan doesn’t pull his leg away though, he doesn’t stop leaning into Phil’s space. Phil holds on to that as he watches Dan place the cupcake down on the table out of the corner of his eye. 

The panic bubbling in Phil’s chest fizzles down as a warm hand squeezes his knee. He finally looks over at Dan. 

There’s a soft smile on his face. His eyes are so warm Phil feels it in his chest. Dan doesn’t say anything and Phil is afraid to say more, so he stays quiet. Phil feels like he can’t look away, so he doesn’t. 

The corners of Dan’s eyes crinkle, but he doesn’t seem to have the same aging lines that Phil likes to pretend don’t exist on his own face. He must be younger than Phil, but not by much - or he just has a really good skincare routine. 

The light in Phil’s lounge reveals freckles dotted under Dan’s eyes that were hidden by the streetlights earlier. There are another two freckles on the side of his cheek, as he smiles they make a frowning face with his dimple. He’s got a small silver hoop in one of his ears and his lips look a bit chapped, though they’re very pink. He’s really beautiful, but Phil had already come to that conclusion. 

Phil watches Dan’s lips as they open, then close again as he bites at his bottom lip. 

“No one’s ever gotten me anything for Valentine’s Day before.” Dan’s voice is small, but genuine. Phil is honestly taken aback by the statement. How could someone like _Dan_ exist and the rest of the world not simply stop and shower him with gifts and love at every possible second? That’s what Phil would like to do, at least. 

Phil doesn’t have much time to process it though, nor is he able to respond, because Dan is leaning forward. His hand on Phil’s knee slides up his thigh a bit as he leans his weight forward on it. Dan’s slow enough that Phil can pull back if he wants to, Dan’s eyes flicking between Phil’s own communicating that fact clearly. But Phil doesn’t want to pull away, he stays right where he is. His eyes fluttering shut as Dan presses their lips together. 

*

The dogs run back into the room as they’re debating on a movie to put on. Their little bellies are full so they pay minimal attention to the food Dan and Phil are picking at, both jumping up on the sofa instead. Biscuit makes herself at home, much like Dan, cuddling up on the cushions with Willow. After cooing at the dogs, they settle on some cheesy Netflix romantic comedy for teens and laugh with dinner. 

It’s a good film, not in the sense that it’s particularly captivating, but the opposite really. It’s easy to talk over, the two strangers becoming so much more as they eat and chat. They giggle and shove at each other’s shoulders. The dogs bark as they laugh particularly loud over one of Phil’s stories - Dan wheezing as he falls over on his side, both dogs jump down to lick at his face in excitement. 

Dan offers Phil half of his cupcake once they’re finished with dinner. And Phil, ever the gentleman, only obliges with one big bite from it. He tries to fight back a smirk as Dan takes the cupcake back, but Dan sees right through him, reaching over to Phil’s take-away bag and pulling out the cupcake Phil had gotten for himself that he was hiding. 

They tease each other and giggle, and somehow Phil ends up with frosting and red velvet bits all over his nose. He might also end up with his back flush against the floor and Dan on top of him, but that’s only for them - and the dogs - to know. 

Once they finish dessert, Dan getting an even bigger bite out of Phil’s cupcake, Phil gets up to clear away the food containers and refill their drinks. When he walks back into the lounge, it’s to the sight of Dan sprawled across his sofa, Willow and Biscuit by his feet. Something bursts in Phil’s chest at the sight, and with it floats away every thought that this is a _stranger_ and a _stranger’s dog_ in his home. Because they aren’t strangers - it’s Biscuit and Dan. 

Phil flicks on his smaller, dimmer lamp and turns off the overhead light before heading over to the sofa. 

“Is there room for one more?” he asks, placing their drinks on the coffee table. Dan smiles, nodding as he sits up a bit, leaning forward. Phil quirks a brow. 

“Come cuddle me you spoon.” 

“Wouldn’t we both be the spoons?” Phil quips back as he maneuvers his long limbs around Dan until Dan is basically in Phil’s lap, his back against Phil’s chest and their long legs tangled together. 

“I guess you’re right about that,” Dan hums. He leans back, turning to look at Phil. Or well, to look at Phil’s lips. 

Phil doesn’t have to be asked twice. He leans forward and kisses Dan, for the third time that night. It’s soft and sweet and Phil has half a mind to say it feels like the start of something so much bigger than he could ever imagine. 

*

“Me either.” 

“Hm?” Dan presses back into Phil’s chest further, letting his head fall back on his shoulder. 

“Unless you count my mum, I’ve never gotten a Valentine’s Day gift before.” Phil absentmindedly rubs his thumb against Dan’s soft jumper.

Dan’s quiet for a moment. The film is long over, the only sounds in the room are the two dogs’ snores and Dan and Phil’s soft breathing. 

It feels like both minutes and hours have passed when Dan finally speaks, “Until now.” 

Phil wraps his arms around Dan tighter, pressing a kiss to his temple. 

“Yeah,” he hums against Dan’s soft hair. 

At the other end of the sofa there’s a golden retriever curled around Phil’s long legs, and a corgi cuddled up against the golden with her head resting on Dan’s feet. None of them should really fit on Phil’s sofa, but somehow, they do.

**Author's Note:**

> Happy Valentine's Day! (bit early but maybe I have another treat for ya'll as well)  
> also everyone say thank you well-timed pillsbury commercial while i was writing this for dan's dog's name, i had it as a placeholder while i thought of a better name but then i became fond of biscuit :)  
> [My other vday fic](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22720270)


End file.
